Snap-on removable can plugs



Nov. 4, 1969 G. CALLEGARI 3,476,284

SNAP-0N REMOVABLEv CAN PLUGS Filed June 10, 1968 34 INVENTOR v) 36 Lou/'5 6 C Megan' .26 40 40 United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 220-24 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A removable sealing plug for sealing the triangularshaped openings resulting from the pulling of the pull tab opener of the thin metal present day beverage cans. This plug comprises a bottom plate portion and hollow handle portion extending upwardly therefrom. An inverted U- shaped spring fastener h-as its bight portion rigidly embedded in the top of the handle portion and its legs extending freely downwardly within the hollow opening of the handle and through a sponge rubber sealing member adhered to the undersurface of the bottom plate portion. The terminal ends of the fastener enter the can opening and are notched adjacent to the rubber member to grip the can edges to biasingly hold the plug therein and rubber in sealing engagement along the edge of the opening.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in removable plugs or closure for can openings and is an improvement over the disclosures in my Letters Patent Nos. 3,019,950, 3,158,279 and 3,221,918.

There is on the market Iat the present time, a type of can for containing a beverage in which the top of the can has a hinged pull tab tear opener. When the tab is pulled an elongated tapered opening is formed in the top of the can. The present invention is directed to provide a snapon removable plug or closure which can be used to reseal such an opening in the top of the can.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a removable plug or rubber seal for an opening in the end of a can that is readily applied and can be easily removed.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a plug of this type with easily flexed prongs that assume a fastening position upon insertion of the plug into the opening to secure the plug in place within the can opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide a removable sealing plug of this type with a handle by which the plug may be readily manipulated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a removable plug of this type that is adapted to Ibe repeatedly used, and which is simple and rugged in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Brief description of the views of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a disassembled perspective view of a punctured can top with the removable plug embodying the invention in position preparatory to plugging the opening in the top, the plug being shown in operative position in dash lines.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the plug.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2 showing the plug in sealing position in the top of the can.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the U-shaped metal spring fastening device separated from the plug handle.

Detailed description of the drawing Referring now in detail to the various views of the drawing, in FIG. 1, a tin can 10, such as used for soft drinks, is illustrated having a side wall 12 and a top wall ICC 14 and a bead 16 around the periphery of the top wall securing the same to the side wall. The top wall 14 has had the hinged pull tab tear opener separated therefrom to provide a substantially triangular-shaped opening 18 therein through which -contents of the open can are poured.

In accordance with the present invention, a removable plug or closure 20 is provided for closing and sealing the triangular-shaped opening 18 in the can. This plug or closure comprises a substantially flat iron or triangular shaped plate-like body portion 22 with a narrow opening and in plan, approximately three quarters of an inch wide at the wide end and tapering to a three eighths of an inch at the small end, and one eighth of an inch thick but may be of any desired dimensions appropriate to the size of the opening and so as to overlap all sides thereof.

An integral handle extension portion 24 is formed on the -body extending centrally and perpendicularly to one surface thereof to constitute a handle therefor. The handle runs upwardly about three quarters of an inch and generally throughout its length and exterior is less than one quarter of an inch wide. The handle runs flush from the rear end 22 of the plate portion 22 to a point short of and near to the small end 22 thereof. The interior of the handle is hollow as indicated at 25 with a closed wall 26 at the top as viewed in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, to provide lightness in weight lbut particularly to provide room to allow for a long spring arm to work as will be later apparent from this description.

A resilient sponge rubber pad 28 commensurate in size and shape to the body portion 22 is fastened to the flat surface of the body preferably by adhesive 30. This rubber pad closes the opening 25 in the handle portion 24. The pad is approximately one eighth of an inch thick but may lbe of any desired thickness or consistency in material.

In accordance with the invention, the closed wall 26 of the handle 24 is molded `around a bight portion 32 of an inverted U-shaped spring wire metal fastening device 34, opposed spring leg portions 36, 36 of the device freely extending through lthe handle portion at its ends and through the pad 28 and outwardly below the pad. The leg portions 36, 36 terminate at their outer ends in .bent terminal ends 38, 38 pointing toward each other. The leg portions are recessed adjacent the juncture thereof with the bent terminal ends 38, 38 as indicated at 40, the recesses opening away from the lbent terminals to receive the can opening end edges.

In use, the improved plug is adapted to seal the triangular-shaped opening 18 resulting from the pulling of a tab and weakened tear material from a beverage can 10, the apical end of the opening 18 being located at the middle of the can top w-all 1-4. The plug 20 is grasped by the handle 26 and the terminal ends 38, 38 and side legs or prongs 36, 36 are inserted together in the opening 18 on one leg through the Wide end of the opening 18 and then the body of the plug moved longitudinally along the opening toward the apical end thereof, the end edge walls of the opening 18 snapping into and engaging the recesses 40 of the legs 36, 36, the end edge wall of the opening 18 during this operation forcing the side legs toward each other holding the plug in operative position with sponge rubber squeezed onto the surrounding edge of the opening as shown in FIG. 3 and the spring of the legs preventing radial outward withdrawal of the plug.

What is claimed is:

1. A plug for sealing an opening in the top end wall of a beverage can, said plug comprising a rigid plate-like body portion having a central narrow opening, an upstanding hollow handle portion integral with the body, the interior of the handle portion communicating with the opening in the plate body portion, a resilient pad secured to the undersurface of the plate body portion over the opening therein, and an inverted U-shaped spring fastener rigidly supported in the top of the handle portion by its bight portion, the side legs of said fastening device extending freely through the opening in the body and through the pad to the outside of the latter, and adapted to biasingly engage the edge of the opening to releasably hold the plug in place over the can opening, the handle portion being plate-like in conguration with a closure wall along one long edge thereof, said closure wall enveloping the bight portion of said fastening device, the side legs of the fastening device tapering slightly away from each other and terminating in end portions bent toward each other,

. said side legs having recesses positioned adjacent to the juncture between the side legs and bent end portions and to the resilient pad.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,158,279 11/ 1964 Callegar 220--24 3,221,918 12/ 1965 Callegar 220-24 10 GEORGE T. HALL, Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

